Southern California -- this just in

A few hundred protesters participate in noontime march downtown

A coalition of unions, Occupy protesters and immigrant rights activists marched from La Placita to the federal building Thursday to protest what they consider overly harsh enforcement measures.

The protesters, who dubbed the action Occupy ICE, said they were calling on the Department of Homeland Security to stop deporting "hard-working immigrant families." ICE refers to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

"We stand here arm in arm with the Occupy movement," said Mike Garcia, president of SEIU and United Service Workers West.

Kristy Mcclain, 35, of Long Beach, said she supported Occupy LA and sees the immigrant rights movement as sharing the same goals.

"A lot of our immigrants are part of our working class," she said "Even though they are undocumented they have a right to make a living wage for their families."

A few hundred made the short walk to the federal building shouting "we are the 99%." Once there, speakers who called for an end to deportations were echoed by the "people's microphone" popularized during the Occupy encampments.